Non-articulating joints are applicable to a wide range of applications, including Pitman-idler arms used in steering linkages of automotive vehicles. Exemplary joints are found in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,249, 6,146,045 and 6,371,682, to Maughan, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Such joints typically include a cylindrical housing member adapted to receive a bearing together with a portion of a stud or bracket. The bearing reduces the amount of friction between the housing and the bracket while frequently adapting for wear induced looseness between the stud and housing members.
Such joints have critical manufacturing features. Typically, the stud head or bracket end must be precisely machined to ensure an adequately tight joint. Further, the stud head or bracket end must be forced into the bearing. Even with such tolerances, some bearings have an undesirable looseness after assembly, particularly when very rigid, stiff, inelastic materials are used. One way to tighten the joint is to lower manufacturing tolerances of the bearing, bracket, and socket assembly. However, some looseness may be experienced with lower tolerances, manufacturing costs may increase, and wear within the joint will increase the looseness.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved idler arm socket joint that forms a tighter assembly without requiring more costly manufacturing methods.